Method in the manufacture of so-called paper wax matches and apparatus for carrying out said method

ABSTRACT

A PAPER STRIP, WHICH IS INITIALLY WOUND UP INTO A SUPPLY ROLL AND OF WHICH PAPER WAX MATCHES ARE TO BE MADE BY DRAWING THE PAPER STRIP THROUGH AT LEAST ONE IMPREGNATING BATH AND THROUGH A NUMBER OF DIES BY MEANS OF WHICH THE IMPREGNATED PAPER IS FORMED INTO A THREAD, IS HUMIDIFIED ON ITS WAY FROM THE SUPPLY ROLL TO THE IMPREGNATING BATH.

May 23, 1972 p s-r uv 3,664,817

METHOD IN THE MANUFACTURE OF so-cALLED PAPER wAx MATCHES AND APPARATUS FOR CARRYING OUT SAID METHOD Filed April 16, 1969 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 8 .n O N 0 w N N I.\ F m S a Y F E \Q m l I: N 9

i I H 1 I E N N i k L F 1:43 If, r v 4 l m'wzmrofi flan 5' P9752 5937a 1/5 By AMA; AA

May 23, 1972 H. P. sTRuvE 3,664,817

METHOD IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SQ-CALLED PAPER WAX MATCHES AND APPARATUS FOR CARRYING OUT SAID METHOD Filed April 16, 1969 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 //v Vf/l/ 7145 #4 /v s' P5767? T/QUVT q fiT'TOF/VEKS' May 23, 1972 H. P. STRUVE 3,664,817

MEIHOD IN THIS MANUFACTURE OF SO-CALLED PAPER WAX MATCHES AND APPARATUS FOR CARRYING OUT SAID METHOD Filed AprlJ. 16, 1969 4 SheetsSheet 5 FIG.3

May 23, 1972 H. P. STRUVE 3,664,817

METHOD IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SO-CALLED PAPER WAX MATCHES AND APPARATUS FOR CARRYING OUT SAID METHOD Filed April 16, 1969 4 SheetsSheet 4.

United States Patent rm. c1. (50st 3/02, 3/00 US. Cl. 44-47 14 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A paper strip, which is initially wound up into a supply roll and of which paper wax matches are to be made by drawing the paper strip through at least one impregnating bath and through a number of dies by means of which the impregnated paper is formed into a thread, is humidified on its way from the supply roll to the impregnating bath.

This invention relates primarily to a method in the manufacture of so called paper wax matches of a paper strip which is initially wound up into a supply roll or the like and is drawn in a humid condition through at least one impregnating bath, in which the paper is soaked with parafiin or the like, and through a number of dies by means of which the impregnated paper is formed into a thread or string which is wound on to a bobbin or the like. The invention also encompasses an apparatus for carrying out this method.

In order to promote the forming of the paper strip impregnated with paraffin or the like to a string or thread by being drawn through suitably shaped, ordinarily circular apertures in dies or the like as well as its maintenance of the cross sectional form imparted to it by the dies, the strip should have been moistened before the paraflination thereof. This moistening of the strip has formerly been carried out by interposing the paper strips wound up into supply rolls between pieces of soaked and subsequently wrung out cloth of jute or another fibrous material and then leaving the rolls lying in such stacks until the strips have reached a suitable humidity content.

Another known method resides in immersing the paper strips which are wound up into supply rolls in a liquid bath, e.g. water, during a certain time, subsequently inserting them into a rack for draining and piling them into stacks so that the surface humidity penetrates through the supply rolls and a uniform distribution of the humidity in the paper strips is attained.

These methods are circumlocutory as well as labour and time consuming and in addition thereto entail difiiculties at holidays and the like, since the paper has to be utilized in a certain time after that it has been inserted in the stack for humidification.

The principal object of the invention is to eliminate those drawbacks from which this known method suffers. In accordance with the invention this object is attained by humidifying the paper strip on its way from the supply roll or the like to the impregnating bath. The humidification is thus preferably carried out continuously, while the ice a humidifying device which is provided between the supply roll or the like and the impregnating bath and through which the strip passes on its way to the impregnating bath.

In the accompanying drawing there is illustrated diagrammatically and as non-limiting sample a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 1 illustrates the apparatus according to the invention, partly in a side view and partly in a longitudinal section.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross sectional view on the line IIII in FIG. 1 and on a somewhat enlarged scale.

FIG. 3 diagrammatically illustrates the principal members of the string drawing plant proper, on a reduced scale.

FIG. 4 is a simplified diagram of the pressure fluid system of the apparatus.

In the drawings 1 in FIG. 1 designates the paper strip which is wound up into a supply roll and which is preferably wound off from the centre of the roll, 2 a funnel, suitably of wood or plastic, through which the strip 1 passes, 3 a guide for the strip, 4 the humidifying device in its entirety. In FIG. 3 5 is an impregnating bath, e.g. of molten parafiin, 6 a die by which the humidified and impregnated paper strip is formed into a string or thread, 7 a cooling zone and 8 a driven take up bobbin or reel, onto which the wax string formed of the strip is wound up. Even though this is not shown in the drawings, the string is preferably drawn through a plurality of dies, and between its passages through these dies the string then passes a corresponding number of times through the same or dilferent parafiin bath(s).

The humidifying apparatus comprises a humidifying chamber 10, Which has inlet and outlet openings for the paper strip 1. These openings are formed of hollow plastic rings 11 and 12 respectively, which form annular nozzles. Those sides of the nozzles which are directed towards the interior of the chamber 10 are each provided with at least one ring of perforations, through which two converging bursts of pressure fluid jets 13, 14 are pressed out. These jets of compressed fluid prevent the paper strip 1 from contacting the wet walls of the chamber 10 and the annular nozzles 11, 12 and additionally form screens which prevent the humid atmosphere in the chamber 10 from escaping through the annular nozzles 11, 12. In front of (outside) the inlet nozzle 11 a third annular nozzle 16 for compressed fluid (air) is provided, the air jets 17 of which are mutually convergent and have a velocity component which is reversed to the direction of travel of the strip 1 and consequently has a certain retarding action upon the strip 1 whereby the latter is prevented from hangmg down in an arc in the chamber 10 and touching the bottom thereof. To prevent drops of condensate from falling down onto the strip from the top of the chamber 10 protective plates 18 having the shape of a roof are provided above the humidification section, from which plates the condensate can drip only from the edges extending laterally of the strip 1. The reason why the strip 1 has to be protected from bigger liquid drops and from direct contact with a wet surface resides therein that such wetting of the strip makes it not withstand the traction exerted by the driven bobbin or reel 8 so that the strip ruptures.

The humidification proper is carried out by a plurality of, e.g. four, colour spray guns one of which is illustrated at 19 which are driven by a pressure fluid and have their supply thereof controlled by opening and shutting pilot cylinders 20. The spray guns which are fed with a liquid (water) from a container 21, spray from above, from below and from both sides to assure a spraying as uniform as possible of the passing, coiled paper strip 1.

Excess liquid, inclusive condensate, is pumped back to the water container 21 by means of a small pump 22. 23 is a duct, through which the air saturated with humidity is conducted to the container 21.

It is also within the scope of the invention to colour the liquid with which the paper strip is sprayed as well as to add to the liquid chemicals or the like which for instance prevent afterglow of the matches which are manufactured of the string which is wound up onto the take up bobbin 8 and made of the impregnated paper strip 1.

The pressure fluid system for driving the apparatus according to FIGS. 1 and 2 is diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 4. In this figure 25 designates a pressure fluid source, e.g. a compressor or a pressure tank, from which there extends a main pressure conduit 26, which comprises a filter 27 and branches out into four feed conduits 28, 29, 30, 31, which are fed with air with the gauge pressure above atmospheric, in the exemplificatory embodiment. Each of the conduits 2'8, 29 which feed the annular retarding nozzle 16 and the inlet and outlet nozzles 11 and 12 respectively comprises a reduction valve 32 and 33 respectively, both of which reduce the pressure to the gauge pressure 0.2 above atmospheric. In the conduit 29 there is furthermore interconnected a three-way magnetic valve 34 which has an inlet, which is in connection with the conduit 30 through a branch conduit 35. In the conduit 30 which feeds the spray guns or spray nozzles 19, a reduction valve 36 is interconnected, which reduces the gauge pressure to 2.0 above atmospheric. A lubricator 37 and a fourway magnetic valve 38 are interconnected in the conduit 31. From the magnetic valve 38 there are branched off two conduits 39, 40, which lead to the opening inlet 20a and the shutting inlet 20b respectively of the pilot cylinder 20. The magnetic valves 34, 38 receive control current through the lead 41. In electrical respect the magnetic valves 34, 38 are conected in such a manner in relation to (suitably connected in series with) the drive motor (not shown) of the take up bobbin -8 that the valves shift or change over when the motor is started and stopped.

At stand-still when the take up roll or bobbin 8 (FIG. 3) is not driven, only the annular inlet and outlet nozzles 11 and 12 respectively are fed with air with the gauge pressure 02 above atmospheric through the conduit 29 and the valve 33 to protect the paper strip 1 from touching the wet surface of the nozzles. Furthermore, the retarding nozzle 16 is operative to prevent the paper strip from hanging down in the humidifying apparatus and touching the wet bottom of the chamber 10. When the drive motor of the bobbin 8 is started, the humidifying apparatus 4 is set in operation. Hereby the four-way valve 38 shuts oflf the supply of air to the shutting inlet 2% of the pilot cylinder 20 through the conduit 40 and instead thereof interconnects the conduit 31 with the conduit 39 to the opening inlet 20a of the pilot cylinder 20 so that the spray nozzles 19 can obtain pressure fluid through the reduction valve 36 and the conduit 30 and hereby humidify the strip 1. When the apparatus is set in operation the magnetic valve 34 connects that portion of the conduit 29, which extends from said magnetic valve to the annular nozzles 11, 12, to the branch conduit 35 instead of to that portion of the conduit 29 which leads to the magnetic valve 34. Hereby the pressure of the air escaping from the nozzles 11, 12 is increased from a gauge pressure of 0.2 above atmospheric to 2.0 above atmospheric, whereby escape of humid air from the humidifying chamber is prevented.

The embodiment described above and illustrated in the drawings is, of course, to be regarded merely as a nonlimiting example and may as to its details be modified in several ways within the scope of the invention. For

example, the number of spray nozzles may be higher or lower than four.

What I claim is:

1. A method of treating a paper strip of the type used in the manufacture of stems of paper wax matches comprising the steps of:

continuously feeding said strip from a supply roll through a first treatment station,

exposing said strip to a humid atmosphere in said first treatment station,

continuously feeding said strip from said first treatment station to a second treatment station,

soaking said strip with a wax substance in a bath as it is fed through said second treatment station, subsequently feeding said strip through a die to form said strip into a string, and

winding said string on a takeup member.

2. Method according to claim 1, comprising the step of humidifying the paper strip by passing it through a curtain of finely diffused liquid droplets.

3. Method according to claim 1, comprising the step of spraying the strip with finely difiused liquid from spray nozzles.

4. Method according to claim 3, in which operation of the spray nozzles is interrelated with the takeup member in such a manner that the spraying of the paper strip with the liquid from the spray nozzles is automatically interrupted when the winding of the takeup member ceases.

5. Method according to claim 3, wherein said liquid which is sprayed from said nozzle is tinted with a die.

6. Method according to claim 3, comprising the step of humidifying the strip with a liquid to which chemicals which prevent after-glowing have been added.

7. An apparatus for treating a paper strip of the type used in the manufacture of paper wax matches comprising:

a humidifying device situated between a supply roll of paper strip and an impregnating bath; a humidifying chamber in said humidifying device; means for supplying a liquid to said humidifyingdevice; means for finely ditfusing said liquid and for introducing the finely diffused liquid into said humdifying chamber; and means for passing said strip through said humidifying chamber whereby said finely difiused liquid is transferred to said paper strip.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 comprising a plurality of spray nozzles opening into said humidifying chamber for spraying the strip from several directions.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, comprising a deflecting plate for protecting the strip from condensate drops, said deflecting plate being located immediately above said strip in said humidifying chamber to lead such condensate drops aside from the paper strip.

10. Apparatus according to claim 7, in which the chamber has an inlet opening for the strip which is comprised of a substantially annular nozzle for compressed fluid which in flowing out from the nozzle prevents the strip from touching the walls of the opening.

11. Apparatus according to claim 7, in which the chamber has an outlet opening for the strip which is comprised of a substantially annular nozzle for compressed fluid which in flowing out from the nozzle prevents the strip from touching the walls of the opening.

12. Apparatus according to claim 10, in which the apertures for the compressed fluid of the annular nozzle are directed obliquely towards the interior of the chamber.

13. Apparatus according to claim 8, comprising a substantially annular nozzle for compressed fluid which is provided outside the inlet opening of the chamber, substantially coaxially therewith, and which surrounds the traveling strip and apertures being provided in said annular nozzle for the compressed fluid which have such a direction as to impart to the compressed fluid flowing out there from, a component which is reversed with respect to the direction of movement of the strip, for retarding the said strip and maintaining it stretched in the chamber.

14. Apparatus according to claim 11 in which apertures 1,453,229 4/1923 Newman 44-43 for the compressed fluid of the annular nozzle are directed 2,443,222 6/1948 Bergstein 117-158 X obliquely towards the exterior of the chamber. 3,145,118 8/1964 Mahoney 117-458 X References Cited 5 CARL F. DEES, Primary Examiner 101 641 2 1: 7 1 iI PATENTS 44-47 eyer 1,147,159 7/1915 Gabriel 44-47 44-42; 117-458; 

